Maybe there’s something to this swine flu thing after all…

Officials said they had confirmed eight cases in New York, seven in California, two in Kansas, two in Texas and one in Ohio, and that the cases looked to be similar to the deadly strain of swine flu that has killed more than 80 people in Mexico and infected 1,300 more.

I hasten to point out that the standard version of the flu kills around 30,000 each year. Anyway, the CDC is simultaneously urging people “not to panic” and telling us that we’re experiencing an “emergency.”